Geoege denison



(No Model.)

G. DENISON.

FIRE ESGAPE.

No. 316,757. Patented Apr. Z8, 1885..

(J N/L 15 ljuulkdka.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEETQE.

GEORGE DEN ISON, OF PRINCETON JUNCTION, NEW JERSEY.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 316,757, dated April28, 1885.

.-\ppliralimi filed May 22, 1884. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern..-

Beit known that I, GEORGE DENISON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Princeton Junction, in the county of Mercer and State of NewJersey, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Fire-Escapes, ofwhich the following is a specification.

which persons in peril from fire in a burning.

building can be rescued by aid afforded from the exterior of thebuilding, and also by which,

- if such-persons are helpless from age, infirmity, accident, orsuffocation, their rooms may be reached from the exterio of the buildingand they rescued, and also to provide an escape capable of such resultsand at the same time readily transportable and capable of speedyerection. I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in theaccompanying drawlllgS.

In these drawings similar parts are indicated by similar letters ofreference.

Figure 1 shows my escape erected and ready for use. Fig. 2 is anenlarged front view of the elevating and supporting mechanism. Fig. 3 isan enlarged side view of such mechanism. Fig. 4 is a separate view oftwo sections of the extensible mast, showing the uniting-joint. Fig. 5is one section of the same, showing the ferrule.

In Fig. 1, A is an extensible mast composed of sections A, unitedtogether by the ferrules A. B are upright posts or supports fixed by ahlnged joint, B, to a base-block, G, and supported in the rear by thelegs D, fixed thereto by the hinged joint D. In these posts is fixed theWindlass E, pro ided with the cranks E. At the top of the mast A isaffixed a cross-piece, F, to either end of which are at- 5tached,running over pulleys, ropes G, reaching to the ground, and of sufficientlength. To the end of each of these ropes is attached a safety cage orbasket, H, in which the persons belng rescued are lowered to the ground.These pulleys are not shown, as any ordinary pulley answers my purpose.At the top of the mast I place two wheel I I, which bear position.

1 against the side of the building and keep the mast away from it duringerection.

In Fig. 2 are shown these uprights B and Windlass E, with a section ofthe mast A in In each of these uprights or posts is cut a' groove,within which the rounds of the section slide. As will be seen in Figs.1, 2, 4, and 5, each section A of the mast A is provided upon oppositesides with rounds K, which form a safe and convenient ladder by whichthe mast may be ascended and the building entered through its windows.

Fig. 3 shows a side view of these uprights or posts B. To the rear ofthem is bolted a cross-piece, L, against which the mast A rests when inposition, and against which the sec tions A slide as the mast is beingreared. To this cross-piece L, I attach a pulley, L. This pulleyconnects by its ropes with the windlass E, and also with another pulley,L, attached to a grasping-hook, L. This hook is only shown in thedrawings by dotted lines, as its form is not material.

Fig. 4. shows two sections A united by the ferrule A.

Fig. 5 shows one section A provided with the ferrule A, and also showsthe open end of such ferrule ready for the end of another sec tion A toenter.

To the bottom of the lowest section A, I prefer to attach a ferruleprovided with wings A, as shown in Fig. 4. These wings efi'ect twopurposes. They ait'ord afirm support for the mast A and prevent itsturning. They project from the ferrule, so that, if need be, men maystand ,upon them, and thus by their weight add to the stability of thesupport.

The operation of my mechanism is as fol-. lows: When not in use, thelegs D, uprights B, and block G lie folded together, with the topsection A, hearing the cross-piece F, in position between the uprightsB. Upon a fire occurring, the escape is brought upon the ground andplaced in proper position. The uprights B are raised, the legs Dextended, and the top section A is, by means of the Windlass E, )ulleysE and L, raised to near the top of the upright. Another section A isbrought, and its top or unferruled end is placed within the ferrule A.The graspinghook L is placed beneath the rounds K at The Windlass nearthe bottom of the section.

E is rotated, and by the same means that the first section was raisedthis second section is raised. Section after section is thus placed inposition, thereby forming the mast A, and elevating it to a sufficientheight. The ropes G, having been placed in position before the topsection is raised, are carried up with it. By these ropes the cages IIare raised to any window, and parties in the building stepping into thecages are safely lowered to the ground. If it is desired for any reasonto enter the building, the rounds K of the sections A form a safe andready means for ascending to the windows. As the sections A are beingraised, if it be desired, for greater steadiness, to rest the upper endof the upper section against the building, the wheels I keep it awayfrom the building and affording the requisite support, at the same timepass easily up the side of the building, guiding the section over anyunevenness of the side caused by projection of moldings or otherwise.

For greater steadiness and more facility in raising, I sometimes attachguy-ropes to the upper section; but I do not limit myself to their use.

To prevent the sections A from turning within each other, as they wouldbe liable especially to do when these wheels do not rest against thebuilding, I cut notches in the ferrules A, as shown at A in Fig. 5. Asthe sections A are successively placed in position, the top round K ofeach section enters into the notches of the ferrule next above it, andprevents such turning.

What I claim as my invention is- 1. In a fire-escape, an extensiblemast, A, composed of sections A, united by the ferrules A, such ferruleshaving notches A to receive rounds K, substantially as shown anddescribed.

2. In a fire-escape, an extensible mast, A, composed of sections A,provided with the rounds K, and united by the ferrules A, such ferruleshaving notches A, substantially as shown and described.

3. In a fire-escape, an extensible mast, A, composed of sections A,provided with the rounds K, and united by the ferrules A, such ferruleshaving notches A to receive rounds K, substantially as shown and drscribed.

4. In a fire-escape, the base-block 0, uprights B, and legs D, allconnected by hinged or folding joints, as shown and described, providedwith the Windlass E, pulleys L and L', and cross-piece L, allsubstantially as shown and described.

5. In afire-escape, the section A, provided with a ferrule A, suchferrule furnished with wings A, substantially as shown and described.

GEORGE DENISON.

Witnesses:

CHARLES B. CASE, J os. E. HUNT.

